Method for the separation of paraffin from petroleum oils and apparatus therefor



Jan. 20, 1931. VERNER 1,789,347

METHOD FOR THE SEPARATION OF PARAFFIN FROM PETROLEUM OILS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed Aug. 16, 1927 w 2 5 k =1 6 M v 7 /A//// ll/l/l/z C m 4 i i 4 w W 1. 9 M J. H i A M m/ H M E 1 H L w, m i P T \1 \m n 9 A) A m r M H A. fi

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' Patented Jan. 20, 1931' UNITED STATES PATENT. oFFma :rULEs VERNER, or LINDEN, NEW JERSEY, Assrenon 'ro srAnnAEn on. DEVELOPMENT comrAnY, A ooaron rIon E DELAWARE METHOD FOR THE SEPARATION OF rAnAEEm Esom rErnoLEm orrs Am") ArrAaA'rus THEREFOR v r Application filed August 18. 1927. Serial No. 213,244.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for. the separation of-parafiin from petroleum oils containing the same and has for its object the more direct and economical separation thereof.

In accordance with my method the oil containing paraflin is chilled to convert the parafiin into the solid form and the resulting suspension of paraflin in oil is then forced into contact with a filtering medium which may be of any finely woven material, although I preferably employ a closely woven grade of canvas. The filtering medium is suitably supported toresist the pressure of the oil and the supporting means is preferably perforate to facilitate the escape of filtrate. A sheet-of gauze or perforated the wax'after metal is preferably interposed between the filtering medium and the support to facilitate flow of filtrate to the perforations. The filtering operation is continued until a layer of solid material has been built up on the filtering medium. This layer consists of a mixture of oil and parafiin and will. be hereinafter referred to as slack-wax. I then discontinue the supply of parafiincarrying oil, withdraw any unfiltered-excess and apply a mild heat to the ,slack-wax in situ sufficient to sweat the slack-wax, viz. to produce a separa tion of oil therefrom. I withdraw the oil .as produced and gradually raise the temvertical planes or a multiplicity .of curved surfaces such as cylinders vertically disposed; A series of spaced horizontal idke partitions are preferably provide :ad--

jaeent the filtering medium to assist in sup porting the layer of paraflin thereon. Su1table means for separately withdrawing the filtered oil. the oil separatedby sweating and melting'will of course bepro- I Fig. 1 of the drawing shows a diagrammat-ie vertical cross section of an apparatus for carrying my method into efiect. Fig. 2

is a horizontal cross section of Fig. 1 through the plane denoted by the line 1- -1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross section of Fig. 1 throu h the plane denoted by the line'IIII, and ig. 4

is a cross section showing details of a part of Fig. 1.

The apparatus and the operation thereof will be conjointly described. Oil carrying.

paraflin which has been previously chilled to convert the parafiin into solid form is forced under pressure into the casing 1- through inlet 2. This casing isprovided with a multiplicity of spaced convas filtering thimbles 3.

As shown more in-detail in Fig. 4, thimbles 3 are supported by the tubes 4 containing erforations 5 and separated from said tubes y sleeves of wire gauze or perforated metal 6. The oil passes through the canvas thimbles and flows by means of'sleeves 6 until it passes through perforations 5 into the in'-, teror of tubes 4 to be discharged intospace 7 from which it passes by branched pipe 8' con .trolled by valve 9 to any suitable accumula tor.. This is continued until a layer of slack wax has been formed on the-outside-of the thimbles 3. The flow of oil and paraffin is then discontinued and any material not adhering to the thimbles is withdrawn through pipe 10 controlled by valve 11. At this point I introduce warm water through the inlet 12 to the chamber13. This passes downwardly through the multiplicity of heating tubes ldkdischarging into chamber 15 and is continuously withdrawn through pi e 16 controlled by valve 17. The cham r 1 is spanned by a series of transverse grid-like partitions 1,8.- i

By means of tubes 14 I apply a moderate heat to the slackwax in situ the degree of heat being controlled to sweat the slack-wax,

viz. to produce apartial separation of a liquid 95 hase rich in oil which is continuousl withrawn through pipe 10 leavin be ind a layer of purified or semiuri ed paraflin adhering to the canvas thim les. -When this operation is complete, the water is withdrawn from t e heating tubes 14 and steam turned in through pipe 19, any condensate being withdrawn through pipe v flows through tubes 14 and melts down the parafiin so that it flows freely out of the ap- 5 paratus through ipe 10. A cooling-1i ul d is then passed in t rough inlet 12 to area ate through the tubes 14 and cool the-apparatus, after which the cycle of operations may be repeated. p be understood that the construction 16. The steam and a. valved outlet in shown is in illustration and not in limitation and that my method maybe carried out in various forms of apparatus without departing from the invention. Various alterna- 15 tives may also be made within the scope of the appended claims in which it is my'intention to claim broadly all novelty inherent in my invention.

claim: 1

1. The method of-separating parafin from petroleum oils containing the same which comprises forcing a mixture of oil carrying suspended parafiin through a combined filtering and sweating zone to form first a filtrate 5 and a layer of slack-\vax'in said zone, conducting away the filtrate, thereafter applying heat to the slack-wax in situ in the same zone, sufficient to produce a liquid phase and a residuum of paraflin, conducting away the so li uid phase and thereafter applying heat su cient-to melt the parafiin and conducting away the melted paraflin. 2 An apparatus for the separation of parafiin from paraffin oils carrying the same in a5 suspension, which comprises a vertical shell 4o bles exten said bottom closure, means within said thimwith top and bottom closures, an inlet through which paraflin-containing oil to be filtered may be introduced to said shell, a

multiplicit of spaced canvas filtering thimg upwardly from openings in bles to support the same and convey the filtrate through said openin s, a multiplicity ofspaced heating tubes ou 'de' of and be- 45 tween said thimbles, means for passing heating. media throu h said heating tubes, an outlet through said bottom closurebetween said tubes for the withdrawal of products separated by the application of heat.

' 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 together with a number of spaced horizontal grid-like partitions spanning said shell.

4. Ana-pparatus for the separtion of paraflin from petroleum oil, carrying the same in suspension, which comprises a vertical shell, an inlet through which paraflin containing oil to he filtered may be supplied thereto, amultiplicity of canvas thimbles ex tending upwardlyfrom said bottom closure,

I said thimbles being closed at the upper ex- 7 tremity thereof, perforated sleeves immediately beneath said canvas thimbles, foraminous tubes closed at the upper end within said canvas thimbles, said tubes discharging i through said bottom closure, a multiphcity 

